According to court records, Mr. Nickoles dropped off a dog at the Carroll County Humane Society with an attached letter describing "unnatural and perverted acts" last summer. In November, Mr. Nickoles dropped off photographs, a videotape and a letter further describing the acts, records show.

On April 8, court records say, a city camera store reported that photographs they were developing portrayed Mr. Nickoles with animals. He was arrested after returning to pick up the photographs.

As a condition of his probation, he was ordered to undergo counseling and to have no further contact with "any and all dogs."